The Loyalties Of A Badger
by MaskedSummer
Summary: Years 1978 -1985. The fall and somewhat rise of Voldemort and the consequences of a somewhat gifted young witch and her friendship turned romance with Severus Snape. Tries to be as canon as possible!
1. Chapter 1

The Loyalties of a Badger.

**A/N: This is my first story written in the Harry Potter world. **

**Just a few notes. **

**1. I hope you enjoy this**

**2. Some characters may not be depicted totally to ones own beliefs. Please accept my own opinions to the characters.**

**3. Some events may not be totally true to J.K's works and since it is a fan fic I hope you respect them.**

**4. I don't own the characters that are not my own. They are J.K's and I will not be using her world/terms or characters for my own gain.**

**5. Please review. **

The Loyalties of a Badger.

Chapter 1: Her Birthday

It was the afternoon. The day had been a good one. The air was warm and the clouds in the sky were fluffy and white that a young girl and her father were happy laying in the grass just staring at them. They were very similar in looks. Both had dark brown hair, almost like melted dark chocolate and in stature they had the exactly the same. He was short and she would grow to the same length. However they were both lean and had a cheery disposition. The young girl was laying next to her father pointing up to the clouds as he stroked her hair. They were in their backyard which was filled with flowers yet was neat and tidy. Since it was very warm, the child was growing sleeping and had begun yawning into her father's chest.

"Sleepy my little swan?" He asked her. She nodded her head and mumbled quietly at him before snuggling closer.

"Daddy.. Why do I have to be swan? I am not graceful nor am I beautiful or whimsical. I never got that from my mother." Her father chuckled in response, he expected something along that. She normally did ask something similar to that question and as usual his response was

"What would you rather be then? A penguin? A kitten? A Puppy?" He gave her a tickle and she squealed and laughed tickling him back. They calmed down shortly after in which the girl promptly said

"A Badger."

This caused him to laugh again. Never before had she given an answer so promptly or so determined. As he opened his eyes from his merriment, his child looked hurt and embarrassed.

"Why a badger then my Cynthia?" his child brightened up and began pawing his chest as she knelt next to her father before opening her mouth to speak.

The child was interrupted by a rather soft sound coming from the back door. It was a whistle, the sound sounded like cooing to the child and both her and her father looked. Her mother stood there in a rather plain dress and shoes. Her mother was beautiful with a small pixie face and honey eyes which her child inherited. Yet that is all. The woman smiled happily and waved her husband and child into the house.

Cynthia tilted her head but answered her summons and stood, brushed the grass off her green dress and took her father's hand and they walked inside. Their house was somewhat large near Brenchley, a small parish in Kent, England. As they walked inside, they met Gretel in the lounge room. It was spacious with a large fireplace and large cushiony chairs. The girl however had seen this place all too often and automatically curled up into the couch she claimed as hers. Her father sat next to her mother and her mother held out a letter to the child. Cynthia wasn't bothered by the lack of discussion. They were all comfortable and close, they spent a majority of their time in silence, only occasionally speaking about a topic that they had read or come across. Personal matter were discussed in private.

"Someone sent you a letter dear. I don't know if you want to read it now or after your birthday dinner. Yet you have had a big day and you do seen ultimately tired." Her mother began before her eyes flickered to the letter now held in Cynthia's small hands. The girl nodded in returned as she remembered her birthday events.

As like her other birthdays, her mother and father woke her up with a little song, placing a loving kiss on her forehead. Cynthia knew they knew she had been awake long before she had and they followed her as she ran out of her room and onto the rug in the lounge room. As she knelt, her parents joined her and they gave her just one present, yet she didn't expect anything else. Her present this year was a necklace. It was shaped as the word "Forever" with two blue stones in the F. She was grateful and happy. They took her out for breakfast to her grandmother's just down the road and then they went to 'have some fun' as her father pointed out, which caused her mother to frown. And fun they did, they went to Royal Tunbridge Wells. Cynthia always had more fun with her father than her mother. There was no exact reason she could identify.

Cynthia frowned and turned the letter over before looking up at her mother. A shock passed through her as she saw a seal of wax with an emblem of a school crest. She could faintly make out the words.

"Di- Did you read the back? It is a letter from a school.. Did you read which school?" Cynthia asked her mother, the excitement bubbling in the girl was almost unbearable that she proceeded to jump up and hug her father. She cut her mother off as she answered. "It says Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

She received silence for her little bit of happiness. She blinked and brushed her hair out from her face and focussed her eyes on her parents. "It is a real school... isn't it?" Her parents shook her head and the girl turned away with disappointment. She proceeded to walk outside and to the large oak in her backyard. She sat on one of the large limbs and opened the letter.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc, Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Warlocks. )

Dear Cynthia Turner

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1st , We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours Sincerely

Minerva McGonagall.

Deputy Headmistress.

Cynthia looked up from the letter completely confused. _Owl? How do I send an owl? _she asked herself before looking up and seeing her father. She blinked and showed him the letter. She figured it was some practical joke by one of the boys from school. Again she blinked, this time to make the hot tears that threatened to spill over from actually doing so. Faintly the doorbell rang.

Cynthia smiled softly, ignoring her father, who was about to comfort his child and her disappointment. She hopped out of her tree and entered her house, crossing through the hall to the front door. She opened it, expected anyone other than the woman standing in front of her.

Her honey eyes looked upon the woman with great curiosity. A rather tall woman with blonde hair and swirling violet eyes. A small button nose was the focal point since there was a star stud in it. She wore purple robes and a rather smart black and dark purple business suit underneath.

"Hello child. My name is Evelyn Hollingberry, you must be Miss Turner. Did I beat the owl?" She said with a smile on her face. She seemed to stretch the r's a little.

"Umm. Hello Miss. Yes, I am Cynthia Turner and I am a little confused. How do you mean beat the owl?" was the child's reply, somewhat holding the door in front of her as a makeshift shield.

"This must be a little confusing child. I am here to explain a lett-" the woman, Miss Hollingberry, was cut off by Mr. Turner approaching and rather politely interrupting the woman.

"Excuse me. Cynthia, do you know this woman?"

"Well father.. this is Mi-"  
"I am Evelyn Hollingberry, I am here to explain a letter that was meant for Cynthia. I hope you have received it or about too." She looked overhead briefly before pulling out her watch. "No, you should have received it, he is always on time.."

Cynthia and her father looked at each other briefly.

"Err. Yes we did get a letter -"  
"From Hogwarts " Cynthia interrupted her father, she did catch the glare but ignored it.

"Brilliant!" was the reply from the lady, "Have you opened it? Because it is really important. We need to send a confirmation lett- Oh bollocks, I am rushing ahead again." Evelyn trailed off at the end before clapping her hands sharply (startling both Cynthia and her father) and smiling. "Mind if I come in? It might come as a bit of a shock?"

"What might?" the child ask. In return, the woman smiled proudly, bending down to have direct eye contact with her and said.

"You are a witch Miss Turner, and have been invited to learn at one of the best magical schools in Europe."

Cynthia nodded and let the woman in. She caught her father's eye, who in turn nodded. It didn't cause any shock to Cynthia. Only excitement bubbled up inside her as she followed the woman into the lounge room.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is my first story written in the Harry Potter world.  
Just a few notes.  
1. I hope you enjoy this  
2. Some characters may not be depicted totally to ones own beliefs. Please accept my own opinions to the characters.  
3. Some events may not be totally true to J.K's works and since it is a fan fic I hope you respect them.  
4. I don't own the characters that are not my own. They are J.K's and I will not be using her world/terms or characters for my own gain.  
5. Please review.  
6. This started from a small HC that my friend wrote for me. I dedicate this to her inspiring writing.**

**Thanks to all who added this to their favourites!**

Chapter 2: Wizarding society.

The actual words the woman spoke enlightened the child a few moments after. She stood under the archway between the hall and the lounge with a quizzical expression upon her face. All the time she spent at school or in the community, it never dawned on her, until now, that she was attempting to fit into a society that she never could. She was different and everyone subconsciously rejected her because of that. She looked up, seeing the faces of her mother and her father looking concerned but Miss Hollingberry looked at her curiously.

"You wouldn't be the first to pick up the fact you couldn't and never will fit into the normal world in such a short amount of time" the woman murmured, before she was gestured to take a seat on the spare couch.

Cynthia walked slowly to her couch, feeling uncomfortable as everyone's eyes were locked on her. Yet as soon as she sat, her mother spoke.

"I'm sorry. Miss... Holling..? My husband told me that you have information concerning a letter that my daughter got this afternoon? I'm sorry, it seems a bit far-fetched to me. Yet in the short span of time, you managed to convince Cynthia and Oliver that it could be and is plausible."

Oliver looked at his wife, gave her hand a quick squeeze and whispered "Gretel... hush" into her ear, while their daughter focussed her honey eyes upon the visitor. The woman coughed and straightened up.

"Yes, Mrs Turner. My name is Evelyn Hollingberry and it is entirely true. Your daughter has magical blood flowing through her veins and has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most children of non-magical parents are excepted and grasp their powers. Before I continue, I think I shall remove any doubts you have about your child and about magic in general." Evelyn stood and withdrew from her sleeve a wooden wand. Cynthia's eyes widened and her fingers itched. She was drawn to it. Slender and nimble, it looked to be about ten centimetres. With a quick swish, the nearby vase levitated. Cynthia's fascination drew but could not hold the squeak. Oliver who had a tendency to be incredibly open-minded nodded with hidden intrigue and Gretel shrank into her husband's arms. It was curious for Cynthia to see, since her mother was very attracted to the idea of magic, since she read so many things about it, only to shy away from it when it makes an appearance. The witch moved her wand again and the vase settled itself in its original position.

"Well.. there we go." Miss Hollingberry's purple eyes looked indifferent to all their reactions, she had seen them all. Her eyes looked at the child and she smiled.

"Do you doubt? I'm sure you have done or seen some things that you could not explain." With that simple statement, all three family members whispered "Oh".

Cynthia turned to her parents. "Well now we have an explanation about the car accident" Her parents turned to each other, grimaces upon their faces as they remembered the day that they could have lost their little girl. The child believes this is the cause for her mother's over-protectiveness and her father's following eyes. She was told that a driver, who was arguing with his wife wasn't looking as he entered the roundabout. As he accelerated, he smashed into the side of the car and into a wall. The side of the car met the other and it was presumed the one year old was dead. Yet she began to cry and it seemed the metal of the car was twisted over an invisible bubble. Cynthia survived but the wife of the other car, did not.

Evelyn coughed again. "Well. I shall continue then. With the letter, there is a list of supplies that need to be brought in Wizard London. I have been instructed to take you there, when it is best for you. However I shall speak more about the school. It is a boarding school in an unplottable location. Term starts on September 1st and ends officially in the third week of June. Students can go home during the winter and spring holidays and exams are sat in June. Students learn varied magical arts, the basics consisting of Potions, charms, transfiguration, Defence against the dark arts, astronomy, herbology and history. Students are also educated in some forms of English, mathematics, art and music. " The woman exhaled and looked at the contemplative parents and the excited child.

"So they are separated into boys and girls dorms?" Gretel asked, frowning as she tried to make sense of it all. She felt that she was being forced to accept it as it was inevitable and the look on her daughters face was confirming it. The child looked so hopeful.

"Students are separated into for houses, all with different traits. These are then separated into boys and girls and then finally year level. In the manner of sleeping arrangements. Students are encouraged to be unified under their houses and compete for house points but over-all school unity is what is strived for but... well there is some competition and bias between the houses." The woman looked uncomfortable.

The parents shared an look and were about to protest. However Cynthia caught their eye and after a silent conversation between the family, Gretel stood and left and Oliver, who was secretly proud, nodded. "Our daughter accepted the invitation, how to we confirm her placement?"

The following weeks were a mixture of excitement, fear and heated arguments. Miss Hollingberry and Cynthia's father wrote a letter and along with Cynthia, they watched an owl carry it off to the headmaster. They organised to meet the woman in London in three weeks and after she left, Oliver and Gretel began arguing. The child picked up bits and pieces of the shouting, but really concentrated on writing a letter to her grandmother, which the reply made the fighting seem more bearable. The girl could not contain her squeals of excitement during strange moments of the day. She could often be found re-reading her letter or asking her mirror if it was real. Yet she knew it was. but the girl could not miss her mother's concern gaze or the shake of her head as Cynthia got excited and chatted about the possibilities of being a witch.

Now Cynthia was tossing and turning in her rather comfy bed at the Leaky Cauldron. Her father decided that they should get her supplies a few weeks before she started school. They couldn't really afford to travel the distance that they had to. They arrived at the wizard pub with Evelyn Hollingberry, who, during one of Cynthia's questionings, revealed that she was a professor at the school and taught Astronomy, a core class. The only reason she didn't mention it at the house was because she totally forgot that it would be useful information. Her father looked at her with much more trust. During the evening and after a slight stressful but silent conversation, Mr. Turner forcefully pressed that they can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow. That was after his child begged continuously during his whole argument. Yet she could not see any flaw in it, she had to agree that

_'it was_ _slightly late and it was time for dinner and that she was slightly tired and combining all these together, her first experience in the wizarding world might not be that enjoyable.'_

Her father did make her smile.

She stopped her recollection and pushed off her covers. She walked to her suitcase and pulled out her letter. She had written extra notes on the supplies list.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM:

First- year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat: for day wear. (black)

One pair of protective gloves. (Dragonhide or similar)

One winter cloak. (black with silver fastenings

Please note that all pupils clothes should carry name tags.

**All of this can be brought at Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions.**

**or**

**The second-hand robe shop.**

**Skirts, stockings and tops all brought from here too, inquire.**

COURSE BOOKS

All students have a copy of the following:

Standard book of spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self- Protection

**All of these can be brought at Flourish and Blotts **(**Best in Professor Hollingberry's opinion)**

**or**

**Obscurus Books**

**or**

**Whizz Hard Books.**

Other Equipment:

1 Wand ** (Ollivanders)**

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) **(Potage's Cauldron Shop)**

1 set of glass or crystal phials **(Slug and Jiggers Apothecary)**

1 telescope **(Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment)**

1 set of brass scales ** (Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment)**

**I also need Quills, parchment, ink. Scribbulus Writing Instruments offer a first year pack.**

Students may also bring an Owl, a cat or a toad.

Then it was signed by an official. It didn't really bother the young witch, she was musing over which animal she would likely have. She had a discussion with Professor Hollingberry and it came down to a cat or an owl. Apparently toads serve no real purpose, they did, during the beginning but since some magical act was passed, they fell out of favour. So Cynthia, who pooled some of her savings together, was planning on getting a pet. A sudden idea popped into her head and she found it greatly appealing. She decided that she would look at both cats and owls and whichever animal made greatest impression or she just _knew_ which one she wanted, she would get it. Pleased with herself she turned over. The girl was hardly impulsive so this bit of irrationality was accepted with a lot of hope. Yet slumber over took the child and she drifted off.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

She woke up early. Both of her parents were early-risers so was she. She quickly dressed and left her room, knocking on her father's hurriedly. She heard a laugh and the door open soon after. The girl was quickly embraced, spun around and was joined in laughter. She blinked her honey eyes and tugged on her father's sleeve.

"Breakfast time?" She asked, trying to be composed and slightly serious. Yet her face expressed all her emotion that her father stared at her with his green eyes and chuckled.

"My little _Badger_ is quivering with anticipation. Yes my dear, breakfast is now. " He pulled on shoes and they exited to the bottom levels. Breakfast was a quick affair before they were shown the entrance to Diagon Alley. Cynthia expelled a breath that she held as soon as the stones finished moving. Her eyes were wide and her mouth popped open. She turned to her father who was almost equally excited and entranced. Again she blinked before pulling out her list. Evelyn was bemused at the child's behaviour, but most muggle-borns were generally this excited. At least she didn't faint. During her time at breakfast, Miss Hollingberry had spieled about the different currency and terminology.

"We need to change our money from muggle to wizarding." Cynthia whispered, wincing at the slight derogatory term for non magic folk. Father, daughter and guide began their very crowded trek to Gringotts bank, all the time, she was attempting to look at everything. This was the beginning of her world and it was spellbinding.

Gringotts however was a nervous task. She was glad that Professor Hollingberry was next to them. She explained the whole process, about getting a vault and a key and the exchange so overall it didn't take too long. Cynthia tried to stay focus on what her father was doing, but the shopping district kept stealing her attention. She saw children her age then some older, parents, adults and vendors going about their daily business. It was very busy but it seemed very appropriate. The only part of the cobble street that could be seen was the bit under her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her father smiled.

"Robes?" he asked before she gave him a nod. Cynthia ran a few fingers through her dark brown hair before all three of them went wizard shopping.


End file.
